Glass annealing lehr



Dec. 20, 1938. c, CONE 2,140,786

GLASS ANNEALING LEI-IR I Filed March 50, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 23 0 20a (D /9b Q ZSnnentor Q 657/0 Cone (Ittorneg Dec. 20, 1938. I c. CONE 2,140,786

GLAS S ANNEALING LEHR Filed Mrph 30, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Carml/ 60/76 (Ittorneg Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 30, 1937, Serial No. 133,863

5 Claims.

The present invention has for its object to provide improvements in means for affecting the heating and subsequent cooling of glass articles in a batch type lehr.

In the drawings wherein the preferred form of the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts in section, of a batch type lehr embodying the present invention, the right-hand section being taken along line tar-4a of Fig. 2 and the left-hand section being taken along line Iblb of the same figure;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross along line 2--2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section, on a somewhat reduced scale, on line 3-2 of Fig. 2.

It indicates ,a relatively long tunnel wherein the articles to be heat treated are contained during heat treatment. II indicates the top wall of the tunnel; I2a and I2!) its two side walls, and I3 its bottom wall. The bottom wall is shown as carried by a car l4 which runs on tracks l5 but insofar as the present invention is concerned, said wall could just as well be integral with the side walls of the tunnel. Spaced from but supported on said bottom wall is a platform IS on which the articles to be annealed may be supported. The space below the platform is divided by transversely extending vertical partition walls I! whereby to form a series of transversely extending flow passages l8 below the platform.

The side wall l2a of the tunnel has a longitudinally extending row of outlet ports l9a near its bottom and the other side wall l2b has a similar row of outlet ports i9b, the ports ,of one row being staggered with respect to those of the other row and the spacing between adjacent ports being such that the ports of the respective rows communicate with every other of the passages l8. The ports l9a lead from a longitudinally extending duct 20a which extends the full length of the tunnel l0 along the outer side of its side wall Ho, and the ports l9b lead from a similar duct 20b along the other side wall l2b. Each of said ducts has a top wall 2| which constitutes the bottom wall of an upper duct 22 which is coextensive in length with the underlying duct and each of these walls 2| has a longitudinally extending row of openings 23. Associated with said openings are valves 24, each having a stem 25 which extends through the top wall 25 of the upper duct and which is provided on its upper end with adjusting means such as a wing nut 21 to permit individual adjustment of the valves. Leading to each duct 22, at a point approximately midway its ends, is a gas duct 28 which leads from a gas reheating chamber 29 whereinto a burner 30 fires.

Extending longitudinally centrally along the top wall or roof I I of the tunnel I0 is an exhaust duct 3| which is coextensive in length with the tunnel and whose lower wall (which constitutes part of the tunnel roof) is provided with, a longitudinally extending row of openings 32 which open into the tunnel. Associated with said openings are valves 33, each having a stem 34 which extends through the top wall 35 of the duct and which is provided on its upper end with an adjust- 10 ing nut 35 to permit individual adjustment of the valves.

Leading upwardly from the exhaust duct 3| (at a point intermediate the ends of the latter) is a duct 31 which terminates in a valve chamber 38. 15 Leading from one side of said valve chamber to the reheating chamber 29 is a duct 39, and between said duct and said chamber is a fan or blower 40 shown as driven by an electric motor 4|. The blower 40 is rotated in such direction 20 that the direction of the flow of gases is from the duct 39 to and through the reheating chamber 29. Leading from the opposite side of the valve chamber 38 is anexhaust flue 42. In the top of said valve chamber 38 is a passage 43 in open 25 communication with the outside air. In the valve chamber 38 is a butterfly valve 44 mounted on a horizontally disposed turn-shaft 45 which extends out through the valve chamber to permit the shaft to be turned from the outside.

The burner 30 is preferably of a type adapted to burn explosive mixtures, such as a preformed mixture of air and fuel gas; and since it discharges into the chamber 29, it follows that the gases flowed through the latter will become heated 35 by intermixture with the hot gases discharged from the burner. The discharge ends of respective passages l8 terminate short of the adjacent side walls of the tunnel, as indicated at 46, thus permitting the gases from the passages to freely 40 enter the tunnel. The platform 16 will, of course, be heated from underneath by the gases flowing through the passages ill with the result that articles resting on the platform will be heated by conduction through the platform as well as by 45 the hot gases in the tunnel.

The valves 24 in the upper ducts 22 make it possible to control the distribution of gases to the lower ducts 20a and 20b; and the valves 33 in the exhaust duct 3| make it possible to effect uniform 50 withdrawal of gases from the tunnel III at longitudinally spaced points.

During the heating operation, the butterfly valve 44 will be in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and the burner 30 will be turned 55 on full. When in this position all of the gases in the tunnel Ill will be withdrawn therefrom and will be reheated and recirculated. After the articles have been heated for the appropriate length of time, it is necessary that they be cooled. To effect gradual cooling, the butterfly valve 44 is turned in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2) to some intermediate position, such as indicated by the broken lines A. When the valve 44 is in the position A, some of the gases flowing from the tunnel ID (by way of the duct 31) will flow into the exhaust flue 42 and the balance into the duct 39. Outside air will also flow into the duct 39 by way of the passage 43. The burner 30 may or may not be left turned on full but ordinarily it will be turned down somewhat. As cooling proceeds, the said valve 44 will be turned still further in a clockwise direction as to the dotted line position B. In this position, there will be no recirculation of the gases from the tunnel l since all of such gases will be vented through the flue 42 and outside air will enter the duct 39 through the passage 43. When the valve is in the said position B, the burner 30 is turned off. If desired, means (not shown) may be provided for connecting the valve 44 and the gas burner 30 in such a way that the burner will be regulated to correspond to the position of the valve 44.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a relatively simple and practical means for controlling the flow of heating and cooling gases through the work chamber of the lehr.

What I claim is:

1. In a heat-treating apparatus, the combination of structure forming a work-treating chamher and two opposite side compartments, each plying gases to said chamber through said opencompartment being in communication with the chamber through a longitudinal 'row of openings, and the openings of one row being longitudinally staggered with respect to the openings of the other row; and independently operable means for supings.

2. In a heat-treating apparatus, the combination of structure forming a work-treating chamber and two opposite side compartments communicating with a lower part of the chamber through longitudinal rows of openings; a horizontalpartition in each compartment above said openings to divide the same into an upper heat supply duct and a lower heat distributing duct; and longitudinally spaced valves in each partition, all valves being separately operable outside of the compartments.

3. In a heat-treating apparatus, the combination of structure forming a work-treating chamber and an exhaust duct longitudinally centrally above said chamber, said duct having a row of openings in communication'with said chamber and having an exhaust outlet intermediate its ends, and valves individual to said openings and being separately operable outside of said duct.

4. In a heat-treating apparatus, the combination of structure forming a heat-treating chambutterfly valve forming a flow passage leading from and to said chamber, means between said valve and the discharge end of said passage for causing gases to flow in the latter in a direction leading from said valve towards said end, means including the other side of said valve forming a chamber having an outlet port and an inlet port, said ports being so related to the axis of said valve that the latter may be turned to block ofi communication between said ports whereby air may be drawn into said passage through one of said ports and gases may be expelled from the article-treating chamber through the other of said ports.

CARROLL CONE. 

